“Early surrender” games, where you are allowed to surrender before the dealer checks his hole card, are very rare in land casinos (not offered in Las Vegas), and we have yet to find this option anywhere online. If he does have it, you lose your entire bet without being given the surrender option. These days, the most common version of surrender is “late surrender”, where the dealer checks for a blackjack, and you may only surrender if he doesn’t have it. It’s actually a great deal, when chances are, you would lose your entire hand by either standing or hitting (such is the case with a player 15 or 16 vs a dealer 10 in games where the dealer stands on soft 17). In reality, it is one of the most powerful and, if played correctly, advantageous rules in blackjack, similar to the “fold” move in poker. Most players think it’s a sucker bet that favors the casino. On the surface, it sounds like a weak move where one is allowed to give up one’s hand early in the game and in exchange for forfeiting half of one’s bet. Surrender is one of the most misunderstood rules in blackjack.

Blackjack basic strategy surrender